EcoWaste Coalition is a public interest network of community, church, school, environmental and health groups pursuing sustainable solutions
to waste, climate change and chemical issues facing the Philippines and the world.

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17 December 2013

Toxic Lead Found in Plastic Table Covers

Mantel, the plastic table cover used in
many homes and eateries, contain lead and other health damaging chemicals that
are kept secret to consumers.

The EcoWaste Coalition, a waste and pollution watchdog group, made the disclosure
after analyzing 15 samples of mantel bought for P20-P150 each from market vendors
in Divisoria, Paco and Quiapo, Manila using a portable X-Ray Fluorescence
spectrometer.

“We tested plastic table covers as part of our campaign to inform consumers
about chemicals in products that are enjoying good sales during the holiday
shopping season,” said Thony Dizon, Coordinator, EcoWaste Coalition’s Project
Protect.

“In addition to Noche Buena and Media Noche staples, many consumers buy mantel
to replace worn or tattered table covers to add cheer to the holiday meals,” he
observed.

“Unknown to many consumers, these common products contain health-damaging
chemicals that can build up in our bodies and the environment,” he said.

“Regrettably, none of the samples were duly labeled with facts about their
chemical or material content to caution consumers,” he lamented.

Mostly made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic, 11 of the mantel analyzed had
lead up to ,18,100 parts per million (ppm), while four had cadmium up to 1,298
ppm.

Lead and cadmium are often used as a stabilizer in PVC products, as well as
pigment to add color in such products.

Quoting scientific studies, the EcoWaste Coalition warned that “lead impacts
brain development, causing learning and developmental problems including
decreased IQ scores, shorter attention spans, and delayed learning,” stressing
that “scientists have found there is no safe
level of lead for children - even the smallest amount effects a child's ability
to learn.”

Other chemicals of concern found in the table covers analyzed were antimony,
arsenic and chromium.

“As these products are PVC-based, it’s also possible that they contain toxic
phthalate plasticizers, which can disrupt normal hormonal processes even at low
levels of exposure,” he added.

Dizon identified two main reasons why consumers should be concerned over the
presence of these chemicals in plastic table covers:

1. The toxic chemicals from the PVC table covers may leach out over time
into the air, contaminate the surroundings and get absorbed into the household
dust that vulnerable children may breathe in or ingest.

2. Worn or tattered PVC table covers are often disposed of with regular
garbage and either burned or dumped dispersing their toxic ingredients into
the environment.

“The burning of PVC in dumps or incinerators results in the emission of toxic
fumes laden with byproduct chemical wastes known as dioxins and furans, as well
as toxic ashes. Lead, cadmium and other toxicants are also released
during the open burning or incineration of the discarded mantel,” Dizon
explained.

“Furthermore, the manufacture of PVC products, which involves the use of
numerous toxic chemical additives, presents occupational safety and health
risks for workers from the production up to the disposal chain,” he emphasized.

As a practical advice, the EcoWaste Coalition suggested the use of cloth or
non-PVC table covers as safe alternatives to PVC mantel.

PVC plastic is identifiable with the recycling running arrows with the number 3
or the initials “PVC” and its strong overpowering chemical smell.

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is a public interest network of community, church, school, environmental and health groups pursuing sustainable solutions to waste, climate change and chemical issues facing the Philippines and the world.